Project description:This study aimed to investigate the systemic immunological effects of kimchi consumption in humans. We conducted a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving thirteen overweight but otherwise healthy adults who consumed either placebo, spontaneously fermented kimchi (S-K), or starter kimchi fermented with Leuconostoc mesenteroides KCKM0828 (LMS-K). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected before and after the intervention and subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to profile immune responses at single-cell resolution.
Project description:The pharmacological significance of B vitamins, essential for various metabolic processes, and the therapeutic potential of probiotics in gastrointestinal health have been well-documented. However, the interactions between these entities remain poorly understood. In this study, we endeavored to elucidate the potential interplay between B vitamins and probiotics utilizing liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, pharmacokinetic modeling, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Employing healthy and pseudo-germ-free rat models, we revealed that probiotics significantly improve the absorption of B1, B3, B5, and B12, and that the gut microbiota played a mediating role in this enhanced absorption of B vitamins by probiotics. High-throughput genetic sequencing uncovered a synergistic effect of B vitamins and probiotics in modulating the gut microbiota, particularly increasing the abundance of Verrucomicrobia and Akkermansia. Furthermore, in vitro experiments demonstrated that probiotics used in this study had a relatively minor influence on the production and permeability of B vitamins, while B vitamins did not significantly contribute to the growth, auto-aggregation, and adhesion of probiotics. In summary, a complex network connection exists between B vitamins and probiotics, wherein the gut microbiota emerges as a pivotal factor that cannot be overlooked.